Lothlórien
From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.
| Place in Arda
| |
| Name | Lothlórien |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Dwimordene, Lórien, Laurelindórinan, Lórinand |
| Description | "Heart of Elvendom on Earth" |
| Constructed By | Nandor/Sindar |
| Realm | Lothlórien |
| Lord | Celeborn and Galadriel |
| Type | Forest/Elven Realm |
| Lifespan | First Age-Fourth Age |
- To see other uses of 'Lothlórien see also: Lothlórien (disambiguation)
Two places in Middle-earth are known as Lórien, and both are exceptionally beautiful. The first is the gardens of the Vala Irmo in Valinor (Irmo is usually called Lórien as well).
The second is a forest in Middle-earth proper, first settled by Nandorin elves, but later enriched by Ñoldor and Sindar under Celeborn and Galadriel.
This forest, originally known by its Silvan names Laurelindórinan (Land of the Valley of Singing Gold) and Lórinand (Golden Valley), was renamed Lothlórien (Lórien of the Blossom) in memory of the Lórien the Ñoldor left behind; but the name was often shortened to Lórien ("Land of Gold", although it carried within it also the meaning of "dream"). Galadriel's magic, later revealed as the power of her Ring, enriched the land and made it a magic forest into which evil cannot enter. The only way that Lothlórien could have been conquered by the armies of Mordor is if Sauron had come there himself, for against his power the elves could not triumph. Other names given to the land include the Rohirric name Dwimordene (from dwimor "phantom", an allusion to the perceived magic of the Elves), and the Westron name The Golden Wood.
Lórien, like Mirkwood, was settled by Silvan Elves of Nandorin descent some time during the First Age. By the Second Age, Sindarin Elves had enriched its population, and they were ruled by a Sindarin lord, Amdír. The last Sindarin Lord of Lórien was Amroth, who went to Edhellond near Dol Amroth in south Gondor in search of Nimrodel, and was lost at sea. After his time the Silvan Elves of Lórien long had no lords, until Galadriel and her husband Celeborn travelled there from Eregion (Hollin).
After Galadriel left for Valinor, the Elves of Lórien were ruled by their lord Celeborn alone, and the realm was expanded with a part of southern Mirkwood, but it appears to have slowly been depopulated during the Fourth Age until all Elves were gone. In "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen," the timeless Elven kingdom is depicted as being wholly abandoned by the time of King Elessar's passing; however, it is difficult to reconcile this with other references to the Fate of the Elves of Middle-earth scattered throughout Tolkien's published works. Even after the assaults on Lórien by Sauron's forces during the War of the Ring, there must have been several thousand Silvan Elves remaining in the land.
Lórien was the only place where the golden mallorn grew in Middle-earth, brought there from Valinor by Lady Galadriel. (Later, a mallorn was planted in the Shire, a gift of Galadriel to Sam Gamgee.) Like Thranduil's Kingdom of northern Mirkwood, it was a wooded homeland of the Silvan Elves. It was located on the River Celebrant, southeast of Khazad-dûm.
[edit] Fall of Lorien in Battle for Middle-earth II
In The Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth II, Lorien is the first Elven land to be ambushed in the Evil Campaign. The Mouth of Sauron and three of the Nazgul rode to a Goblin base just on the outskirts of Lorien, where they recruited the Goblin builders to create structures from which to muster powerful Goblin armies, as well as a few Trolls. After the armies are properly prepared, the four Captains of Mordor lead the Goblins and Trolls out to destroy the land of Lothlorien. Haldir and a few elves bravely attempt to stop them at the outer perimeter, but they are slain and the Elven Tree Houses there all demolished. While the Goblins and Captains of Mordor advance on Lorien, they release Mountain Giants guarded by the Elves to aid them in their Conquest.
When the dark army arrives in Lorien, many elves, as well as Galadriel and Celeborn, attempt to stop them. Galadriel escapes, but Celeborn is slain. The Goblins defeat every elf and burn every Lorien structure in sight, even the mighty Tree Fortress of Galadriel and Celeborn. Galadriel watches in horror from a distance as the Goblins celebrate their victory on the ruins of Lorien. The Mouth of Sauron looks into the Mirror of Galadriel, seeing and preparing the next step into conquering northern Middle-earth for Sauron.
[edit] See Also
| Elven Realms of Middle-earth throughout the Ages | |
|---|---|
| Years of the Trees: | Cuiviénen | Eglador | Havens of the Falas |
| First Age: | Doriath | Dorthonion | Gondolin | Havens of Sirion | Havens of the Falas | Himlad & Pass of Aglon | Hithlum | Maglor's Gap | March of Maedhros | Nargothrond | Nevrast | Ossiriand | Pass of Sirion | Thargelion |
| Second Age: | Eregion | Greenwood the Great | Lindon | Mithlond | Rivendell |
| Third Age: | Lindon | Lothlórien | Northern Mirkwood | Mithlond | Rivendell |
| Fourth Age: | Lindon | Lothlórien & East Lórien | Mithlond | Rivendell | Wood of Greenleaves |
